Tomatillo Salsa with Fresh Tomatillos

Wondering how to make tomatillo salsa? Zesty homemade tomatillo salsa with fresh tomatillos is a perfect late summer appetizer!

Before we started getting interested in Latin cooking, the word “tomatillo” would have fallen on deaf ears. A few years ago, I probably would have passed off these strange-looking little green “tomatoes” at first glance. But when I saw a huge pile this weekend at the Broad Ripple Farmer’s Market, I knew just what I wanted to try – homemade tomatillo salsa with fresh tomatillos. Granted, not everyone was quite as excited as I was about these little guys. They were intentionally priced to sell, since no one seemed to be biting.

Related: Homemade Tortilla Chips

We’d only ever tasted store-bought tomatillo salsa, so we were excited to try a fresh tomatillo salsa recipe. The taste of a fresh tomatillo was unlike anything I can describe – a combination of sour, sweet, and earthy. Delicious! There are lots of cooked versions of tomatillo salsa – which would be like a salsa verde you’d find at the store. However, we enjoyed the raw taste so much that we decided to stick with a fresh salsa verde. Adding a bit of sugar gives just the right amount of balance to the sourness of the tomatillos.

What are tomatillos?

Despite their similar appearance and name, tomatillos and green tomatoes are two completely different foods. Tomatillos look like unripe tomatoes and have a husk that leaves a sticky residue behind when you peel it off (just rinse the tomatillos under warm water to remove the residue!). They’re much denser than tomatoes and contain less water, and are slightly grainy in texture, yet still juicy somehow.

Tomatillos can be eaten raw in salsas and on sandwiches, grilled, or roasted and used in any number of sauces and soups. A few of our favorite ways to enjoy tomatillos include our homemade salsa verde and this roasted tomatillo and black bean soup.

How to make fresh tomatillo salsa

Making this homemade salsa is as easy as dicing the ingredients and mixing everything together. I suggest dicing the tomatillos quite finely since they are a little dense, and you’ll want to wash your hands thoroughly after touching the jalapeño to avoid getting any pepper juice in your eyes. If red onions are too pungent for you, try running the sliced onion under cold water for a few seconds and patting it dry before adding to your salsa. The water mellows out the flavor of the onions without taking away from the overall flavor of this salsa.

This homemade tomatillo salsa can be eaten right away, but it actually tastes better the longer it sits in the fridge. If you have time, I’d recommend letting this salsa rest for at least an hour to give the flavors time to come together. Maybe you could use that time to make some homemade tortilla chips—the ways to enjoy this salsa are endless!

How to store tomatillo salsa

Keep this fresh tomatillo salsa in a sealed container in the fridge. It will last up to a week, but you’ll need to stir it a bit before serving (the juices will settle at the bottom of the container, but that’s normal!).

Ways to enjoy tomatillo salsa

This homemade salsa is delicious with just about anything — chips, tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas, you name it. It adds a burst of freshness to any dish without being overpowering. A few of our all-time favorite ways to eat this fresh tomatillo salsa are:

• On tacos — This salsa would pair well with both vegetarian and regular tacos. Swap out the store-bought salsa verde for this tomatillo salsa recipe on these vegan lentil tacos.
• With scrambled eggs — Transform these simple scrambled eggs by topping them with a few spoonfuls of homemade salsa.
• Atop grilled veggies burgers — Tomatoes on veggie burgers are normal, so putting salsa on top makes perfect sense! Our grilled veggie burger recipe is a fan favorite and would taste incredible with tomatillo salsa on top.
• Spooned onto enchiladas — Enchiladas often taste quite heavy. Add a pop of fresh flavor by topping them with salsa! We particularly love these sweet potato and black bean enchiladas. 
• On sweet potatoes — Sweet potatoes pair incredibly well with spicier salsa. Top a plain roasted sweet potato with tomatillo salsa and black beans, and be prepared to be blown away.

Looking for more homemade salsa recipes?

Outside of this tomatillo salsa, here are a few of our favorite salsa recipes:

• Best Salsa Recipe
• Pico de Gallo Recipe
• Black Bean and Corn Salsa
• Sour Cherry Salsa
• Black Bean Salsa Fresca
• Easy Mango Salsa
• Salsa Fresca
• Pineapple Salsa
• Heirloom Tomato Salsa Cruda

Looking for more easy Mexican recipes?

• How to Make Vegan Nacho Cheese
• Instant Pot Tacos with Smoky Lentils
• Loaded Mexican Pizza
• Mexican Loaded Sweet Potato Fries
• Loaded Quinoa Tacos
• Artichoke and Quinoa Vegetarian Enchiladas

This tomatillo salsa recipe is…

Vegetarian, gluten-free, vegan, plant-based, and dairy-free.

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